NPCC Alumna Fulfills Dream with Fine Arts Studio

NPCC ALUM FULFILLS DREAM WITH FINE ARTS STUDIO

Amariah Gesinski can’t imagine life without the fine arts.

Performing is all she ever wanted to do – that and own a dance studio.

The latter dream came true when the North Platte native opened Encore Performing Arts Studios in Kearney.

Recently, she was able to expand the business, which offers training in dance, music and theater – all the things Gesinski has been enamored with since she was a child.

“Theatrical arts were always something I loved growing up,” Gesinski said. “They took different forms over the years. Music and theater performance are huge passions of mine.”

Gesinski began taking piano lessons from her sister and singing in church at the age of 6. By the time she was 9, she was also taking dance lessons at the Dance Factory. She continued her passion after high school by enrolling at North Platte Community College.

“NPCC just made sense,” Gesinski said. “The college had great music and theater programs, and the instructors developed me so much as a performer.” Gesinski graduated from NPCC with an Associate of Arts degree. In 2016, she moved to Kearney and launched Encore. Building the business up to what it is now took time and effort.

“I started from scratch,” Amariah said. “I didn’t have a staff initially. I was teaching all the classes by myself in the basement of my sister’s church. That fall, I rented a fitness studio for a couple hours per week then worked my way up to renting it for a couple days per week.”

Eventually, she was able to take over a suite in the fitness studio and offer a week’s worth of classes.

In February of 2020, Amariah leased a building downtown that could accommodate her growing clientele as well as additional classes.

Encore is a performance-based studio rather than competition-based. Emphasis is put on the joy of creation and sharing the arts with others.

“Fine arts are essential in keeping us human,” Amariah said. “They don’t just teach us to be good performers – they teach us to be good people, and that’s the ultimate goal.”